Job interview panic attack!

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

Blew out a job interview for the first time ever today - mostly due to a major panic attack overnight. Might be able to salvage something from this particular situation, but now feeling worried that I'm losing what's left of my self-confidence.

Anyone got any tips for coping with interview stress, particularly when there are assessment excercises involved? I really need a job and don't want to make a habit out of this.

― HH, Tuesday, 9 August 2005 13:02 (twenty years ago)

I have a job interview (for a job I don't really want) on Thursday morning. Just concentrate on the potential benefits (that's what I'm going to do). I'm not expecting to panic, but I'm worried about being too honest and/or dismissive about the situation.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 13:08 (twenty years ago)

can i be the twat that says "imagine the interviewers are naked lol"?

― g-kit (g-kit), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 13:09 (twenty years ago)

Go on a lot of interviews.

― Hurting (Hurting), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 13:17 (twenty years ago)

Look intently at the pinkie finger of your interviewer. It's most likely small, weak and vulnerable. Focus on the pinkie finger(s). I do this in job interviews, when I'm nervous and also when talking with foes, adversaries and people who make me quiver with fear.

― The Milkmaid (of Human Kindness) (The Milkmaid), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 13:21 (twenty years ago)

Note: This is different from the "imagine them naked" routine because the pinkie finger is there, it's real and everyone's is different and slightly embarrassing in its uselessness.

― The Milkmaid (of Human Kindness) (The Milkmaid), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 13:24 (twenty years ago)

i dig the pinkie idea. makes a lot of sense.

― g-kit (g-kit), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 13:26 (twenty years ago)

Something that's worked for me: Remember that the prospective employer really wants you to be the candidate who can do the job. They'll find recruiting a pain in the arse. Even if they interview aggressively, they still want you to be The One. The interview is just a conversation where you get to answer their prayers. (Don't come over that arrogant, obviously...).

For an assessment exercise: Don't treat it like an exam, it's a simple hurdle to make sure candidates are competent in the right areas. If you don't get over the hurdle, you wouldn't have liked the job anyway.

― beanz (beanz), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 13:27 (twenty years ago)

i dig the pinkie idea. makes a lot of sense.

Apart from the "lying bastard didn't look me in the eye" factor...

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 13:28 (twenty years ago)

But if you look at their pinkie, you avoid eye contact. Unless they are scratching their eye with it. ;-)

― nathalie sans denouement (stevie nixed), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 13:32 (twenty years ago)

look at their eyes then. eyes are vulnerable too. (GO FOR THE EYES, BOO!)

― g-kit (g-kit), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 13:33 (twenty years ago)

If you don't get over the hurdle, you wouldn't have liked the job anyway.

This, I'm discovering, is so important. Its one thing to, as I tend to, big myself up and get a job, but to then find I'm drowning in it is more embarrasing than not getting it to start with.

― Trayce (trayce), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 13:35 (twenty years ago)

I didn't mean to stare at the pinkie non-stop, just glance at it. If you stare at people's eyes all the time it seems like you're putting a voodoo spell on them or trying to cure their hiccups.

― The Milkmaid (of Human Kindness) (The Milkmaid), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 13:41 (twenty years ago)

If you stare at people's eyes all the time it seems like you're putting a voodoo spell on them

Your point being?

― tissp! (the impossible shortest specia), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 13:44 (twenty years ago)

Just be yourself. As elementary and simple as that sounds, just being yourself is usually a pretty good way to go into an interview.

Not being yourself = setting yourself up to disappoint them. They want to hire the person who they interview, and not some pale shadow thereof.

Being yourself = answering honestly and naturally to questions, being at ease with opinions you offer, and being at ease with yourself.

Other small hints:
- Make sure your clothes fit. Ill fitting clothing is as uncomfortable as it is bad to look at.
- Give yourself enough time in the morning before your interview. -- Get to the interview site 5 mintues before your interview is supposed to start.
- Get a real haircut. Seriously. It goes a long, long way.
- Job aptitude tests are supposed to test what you can do righ then. Lay off the intoxicants for a few days prior to the interview/test, and go get smashed once the interview is done.

And smile.

― Big Loud Mountain Ape (Big Loud Mountain Ape), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 13:49 (twenty years ago)

i once went for a job interview to work for the lottery commission. the job was to guage the relative merits of architectural submissions to ascertain whether they deserved funding and god i wanted that job so badly (i still think about how much i would have loved that job and this was about 5 years ago now) i had such a panic in the interview that the head panelist (male) phoned me up the next day to ask me whether i was well and could he help me getting some help for my nerves...? then he asked me out for a date/drink! (i declined)

― jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 13:50 (twenty years ago)

Prepare yourself. Understand the job and company the you're interviewing for. Answer basic questions in your head beforehand like what attracts you to the position, or what you see as the opportunity -- but don't overthink it (ie don't consider every question the interviewer might ask, it's a losing battle). Frame your answers in the context of what's important in the job description. Try to find out something about the interviewer ahead of time (google). Offer details about yourself. Smile and relax, it may be a cliche but an interview is just a conversation with a purpose. If you don't click with the person or the job, it probably isn't meant to be.

― mcd (mcd), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 13:56 (twenty years ago)

If the interviewer has pinkeye, you've got it made.

― Beth Parker, Tuesday, 9 August 2005 14:00 (twenty years ago)

Find a place that offers mock interviews and do a couple. Once you get in the groove it seems less important that you do well in any one particular interview. Eventually you'll start treating normal interviews in the same way. It's a lot easier to interview if you don't need the job, but things seldom work out that way.

― mike h. (mike h.), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 14:14 (twenty years ago)

Smile and relax, it may be a cliche but an interview is just a conversation with a purpose.

OTM...I recently sat on a panel to recruit some new staff and it was really instructive. We weren't trying to catch people out or make them feel awkward or anything. The number one factor was 'could we get on with this person?'.

― Bob Six (bobbysix), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 14:32 (twenty years ago)

I failed my first proper job interview because I was a nervous wreck. Since then, I've passed all of the four permanent job interviews I've gone for, because I calmed myself down by drinking three of those ready-mixed G&T's things in the couple of hours leading up to the interview. It worked for me, anyway.

― slb1, Tuesday, 9 August 2005 14:38 (twenty years ago)

beanz's advice was good .. The interviewer hates interviewing people and probably doesn't even know what are good questions to ask. They are as unprepared as you are. They're looking for confidence & ability, but they're also just looking for someone who doesn't bug the shit out of them. Be personable. Be the person the interviewer can see having a beer with. It worked for George W Bush.

― Draw Tipsy, ya hack. (dave225.3), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 15:23 (twenty years ago)

Be the rich 40 year old the interviewer can watch drinking eight g&t's, alone. It worked for George W Bush.

― paulhw (paulhw), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 17:00 (twenty years ago)

Most importantly, you're just as much an interviewer as an interviewee, whether the interviewer likes it or not. If he or she doesn't want to answer your questions -- providing they're not nondisclosure/trade secret questions, you're better off not working there.. seriously.

Be enthusiastic and "on", but don't act like your life depends on the interview.. because, honestly, your life never depends on a single job interview, really.

― donut ferry (donut), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 17:14 (twenty years ago)

Question: did you say the Zazas, Zazas mantra from the thread below?

ATT: Non-superstitious people, I need your help!

Because if you did, insert evil laughter here.

― Giambi, Tuesday, 9 August 2005 23:26 (twenty years ago)

job interviews are the only real life situations where i find a bit of rehearsal/role playing type thing useful. i.e., getting a mate to ask as many potential questions as possible and practising what answers i would give the day before. then you don't have to think on your feet quite as much as all the info is fresh in your mind.

― gem (trisk), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 23:30 (twenty years ago)

three years pass...

Just found out I have one IN AN HOUR. holy crap. im gonna puke.

― quadratrillionaire (sunny successor), Thursday, 19 February 2009 18:06 (seventeen years ago)

six months pass...

good thread. ive a job interview tomorrow. dont think i want to prepare too much in a way though as then id feel like im just parotting pre-set statements. but i cant think what else to read up on or look over now. trying to read up more on the industry even though they say thats not really needed, but its hard to absorb.

― titchy (titchyschneiderMk2), Wednesday, 26 August 2009 20:57 (sixteen years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.